Circttit maker and breaker



Decf, 1927. 1{52,123-

J. R. Kr-:YTON

CIRCUIT MAKER AND BREAKER Filed Dec. 24, 1924 ATroR'NEY Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOHN R. KEYTON, OF DOTHAN, ALABAMA...

CIRCUIT MAKER AND BREAKER.

Application tiled December 24, 1924. Serial No. 757,948.

-"Myfinveution relates to improvements in circuit makers and breakers and more particularly to such as are'of the float controlled type and adapted for use in connection with 51thefcrank case oft` internal combustion engines for a suitable ala-rm when the "oil supply becomes low. i

Briefly StatedLan-important ob]ect of the *invention is the provision-'of a device of the character set forth which is very simple in construction, strong and dura-ble, and which 'may befreadily applied to an internal coml )`1f1`stionI en'gine-v without necessitating any "changes ormoditications in the construction l5-"jthe'ef, the device-being maintained in asso- 'ciation with theengine by means of the same fastening? members which are employed by theengin'e as's'embly.- 5 Y p "vid ex iniifdeviceo'f this kind a novel and im- 'mova'ble'fontact memberfw'hich support is Without' 'necessitating' the' dismantling or re "91iiovalofitheentire device.

"invention-f furtheri contemplates an :fadijustablemeans' vwhereby al circuit-.may be made when the'oil'in the engine crankfcase fl has' fallen: to", :if-predetermined level.

30, mfTle? above' I and other lfeatures "of' novelty "which characterize my' invention arejpointed ont With'particulaityiin the claims 'annexed 4 t'i'a'nd forming apart of 'this specification.

' However/"in orderthat my improvements "may" be "better 'understood reference should be hadtoltfhe accompanying drawings forminga part of thiSspecificat-ion and wherein "'I have illustrated what I ,nowregard as a preferredembodiment of the invention` the 40 sameas'here depicted being effective for "shortc'ircuitinga'the-'fivnition system of the engine bygrounding the magneto plug with the frame ofthe-engine when the nil has fallen "to a predetermined level. It.. is to be 'l5 understood, of course, that l do not intend to restrict myself to the invention as shown vbut reserve theright to make such modifica- .tio'ns and changes as fairly fall within the subject matt-er claimed hereinafter.

`the tubular connection 11 which-is In the drawings,

'Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of my invention to a well known type of motor vehicle engine;v

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig; 1 but in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a detail in side elevation drawn to enlarged scale, and "l' 'l Fig. 4 is a group perspective-illustrating the co-acting arms and -theirsupprt Referring 'specifically'T to-'1thedrzivvings, wherein like reference characters'"Ali denote similar parts'throughout, numeral' 55"'designates amotor vehicle crankcase' havingfthe' usual Cover'' Which-"is 'fas'trid 'thereto Iby means of the bolts 7 passing' thiough the marginal flanges 5l and 6; The"`tran`"sm'is 'sion' cover door characteristic of-engines of this type is denoted by the numeral 8,'vvhile 9 indicates the magxneto"v plug-. -Inasmuchas' the "engine per se forms'f'nfofprtioft-he present invention, further?'dese'riptioxi= is Eunnecessary: i' ""1 111i *"3"- In applying 'the' invention -aSf-shbvvn'gfin crank1 case-is screwedfout and'replacd'fbysubstanrre-ferl lb'ws- The'ffree end"of 'the' connect-ion 1'1" carries a '1 -coupling "12; one branch 'ofvhitlifcai'ries a nipple 12 which receivesfan`elbovv13in the free end ofiwhich is threaded alf'ni'pple 14" extending from thebot'to'm"of'acasing or reservoir 14. The lowern'iostoilZ-'p'etfc'ock` 'which was removed -'for'application-of the through a tubular guide 17 which extends :i substantial distance thereubove. The top 16 of the casing is preferably retained in place by means of machine screws 1G, it 5 being necessarily removable in order that the fioat may be positioned in the chamber.

The upper end of the float stem is threaded-, asrindicated at 15.",` .this portion beingprvddivvifth removablestopsin the 10 form of nuts 16". Between the nuts 16b is disposed the laterally turned apertured :end 18*l of a metal strip '18',tl'ie' upper' end 'of which pivotally carries a. dink. '19,. to., the free end of which there is pivotall'y secured' l5 an arm 20 which ispivotedjntermediete its ends as indicated at 20a to one branch of' a. yoke-like member 21 havingan intermediate i; ejgQ-li whereby ,it be securely fastened to. the-crainkgeasecover by onefof the screws 20 8 whiohghldfiiho door 8in place'. ksecfond'ngmig is gpivoted. intermediate its" ends as indicated at 22a to the free-branch ci the yoke 2 1), jthefouter endoi-'said' arm. heilig designed for movement toicontfaet with vthe i5 plugS).` Y; .The end of. this arm 22,is providedfwith niv-shaped formation 23 I 'whiskers to' receive the vinner end of g- :romptlse oregoing.-.des`cription read in eulconnectionjygith; .thenccompanying drawings Yit Iyv il l, 1)e appar-:ent that whenthe-erank case is gniglytsupplied with-foil the, same will the connection 11 into-the casing-.orfrsservoiryltwand.canse the float 15 b-fmipthfits-fstem, l# `to rise,.thus` impartiwr he lements 18 .andl9 a downward roclginggmovefmentfto the tree or inner end ofthsarni 2Q Whiclnacts uponthe' Yshaped formation 23 to elevate the outer .end'of the 4=J ..rax;m22roni conta,ct with the magneto plug. The. ignition system. ot the..vehicle-\vill now, of; course, function` in.l its usual. manner. However, when the oil in .the crank'case has lfallen...to-.suchl a level that .the 'bearings of is engine will .become damaged..A the float With-inthe casing 14, ofcourse, falls,- resulting .in'aniovement the. reverse of that just descrihedtobrin-g-the end of-the ann 22 into 'Contact with the magneto plug for short cir- .cuitingitheignition system and .preventing the engine strom being run.

I n order to .firmly attach the casing 14 to `the ..e.ngine I Ahave devised the bracket 24 .op ositelvturned.apertured ends 24 1- fand24l. e. depicted in Fig. 1, the'aperture .-offtheend 24-`isdesigned `for attachment beneath an apertured ear 25 extending from. thelewerportiorrof the casing 14, the connection being; made lbetween fthesame Aby .means of a. -screw. The' end- '24- lof*v the bracket is clamped .against the crank case cover plate nnge hby means of .the n-utot one of the fastening bolts 7. Itwill thus be .evident that, the casin 14 .will not be pery.niitted toy move in 'rection and that =the lateral bearings, arms mounted on .said

bracket. 24 together with the connection 11 'forms a very simple and accept-able. menus of application of my apparatus. The. tcp 1G of the casing 14 is substantially dome-shaped so as not to collect dust or dirt.

As previously intimated, the nuts 16" permit nrljustuient of the metallic strip I8 S0 that the ignition systemA iiiny be short circuitcd when vthe oil in. the craauk case is at a predetermined leve-l. Obviously, adjustment may be made t0 render the apparatus effective before' the oil level has reached a. dangerously. .low point in order that the driver may still proceed to a. gara e for re- A .plenisl'iment oztlieoil supply. I ave provided the rod 28 which is fastened to the arm f@ 22 amdextends upwardly throngh-theboor bear-d. By pulling this -rod- Aupywaufdlxythe arm 22 willv be raised .clearof the plug andthe ignition systemy-willrbeperlmitted tol 'tun'ctionf suitable .may be availed of..f0r retaining the imd28 in position to hold the oli-tuoi; oon- -tact with the magnetogqplug@ f .1

Having.- -thus desem' bed the inventiony-.wfhat is cla-imedis:

1. In a fiuid level.controlledshort-eircuiting device for the -ignitionfsystemsi of internal combustion engines or thelike, e yoke lia-ving an intermediate attaching eye for the reception oi aA fasteningelementot the? engine assembly wherebysaid maybe adjustably mounted upon the V.amd clamped in a predcteemined the lateral ends olf-said yoke pa.,1j |i.l l el and formed with bearings, arms .jouxnalledf upon said bearings,the adjacent ends o said .anms operatively. `engaging-.each other fm2 .relative swingingrnovement, one of said farms having conmection with a fluid level-responsive device, and the other arm .being actuated by said first armto engage an element of said. ignition system -When the. level reaches a predetermined point.

2.1n. a. short circuit-ing device for-bhe ignition systems of motor vehicles, the Vcombination cfa bracket havingapair ofs :iced

rings and connected .for relative swinging movement, one of said arms beingdesigned 4to engage u part of said ignition system, and seid bracket 'having an A:ipertured offset portion for the reception of an 4attaching element- .whereby said oifset Vportion may Abe adjustablyheld in flat engagement with a, portion. ot an internal. combustion engine or the like, the said offset port/ionextending in the opposite direction lfrom said bearings ,whereby said arms will swing freely without engagement 4with adjacent; parts of the vehicle.

3. In a short circuiti-ng device. for .the ignitionsystems of motor vehicles, the combinationof a, bracket having a'pairof spaced laterally .bearings, .arms mounted Aon `fsiid bearings, one of said arms having a notch in its end in which the adjacent end of said other arm engages to connect the said arms for relative swinging movement in opposite directions in a common plane, one of said arms being designed t0 engage a part of said ignition system and said bracket having an apertured offset portion for the reception of an attaching element whereby said offset portion muy be adjustably held in Hat engage- 10 nient with a portion of an internal combustion engine or the like, the said offset portion extending in the opposite direction from said bearings whereby said arms will swing freely without engagement with adl5 jacent parts of the vehicle.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature.

JOHN R. KEYTON. 

